Improvement in boots anp shoes



l flinitell States @patent @time EDMUND BROWN, OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ARTEMUS PROUTY, OF SAME PLAGE.

Letters Patent No. 96,195, dated Octobe1l 26, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOTS .AND SHOES.

The Schedule'refenevr to in these Letters Patent and making part of tho same.

To all/whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDMUND BROWN, of Burlington, inthe county of Chittenden, and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of a gaiterboot provided with my improvement.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same, taken on the plane of the line x x, fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates toa new device for lining the edges ofthe openings'of lace shoes and boots, and has for its object to facilitate the fastening of the two flaps or folds, so that the tedious lacing or buttoning here` tofore required can be dispensed with.

The invention consists in applying a metallic or other suitable frame to the edges of the opening,

whereby the same is' made so stit, that with but one or two clasps or buckles, the shoe can be closed.

' A, in the drawing, represents the upper of a bootor shoe, which is, in front or on the side, provided with a slotor opening, which has to be closed when the shoe is'put on.A The edges of this opening are lined with a metal or other frame, B, which consists of three bars or plates, a a and b. 'lhe two plates a a are secured to the sides oi' the slot, near the lower end of the same, and are, by rivets or pins c, connected with the short plate b vthat is put across the slot opposite and near the lower end of the same.

, The plates a a reach, it' in front,A only to the instep, as in fig. 2, and will, for slippers orlow shoes, be suicient.

For bootees or gaiters there maybe anothelpair of plates, e e, provided,- wnich reach from the upper part of the instep to the upper part of the leg, leaving the instep itself without any stiti'ening.v

-For still higher boots, a third and fourth pair of plates may be provided.

The plates a and e may be made of metal, asaforesaid, or of whalebone, rubber, or other suitable material, and are either sewedinto the leather or otherwise applied under, within, or above the same.

They stili'en the edges ofthe slot, and cause thereby the said edges to meet flush, when they are held to gcther at any one point. Thus, one fastening-strap, buckle, or clasp f, will be sutloient for each pair of such plates, and will thereby serve to hold the slot closed.

The tedious lacing, buttouing, or other fastening, heretofore used on such boots orshoes, is thus entirely overcome.

I am aware that hinged stiening-bars have heretofore been applied to the side seams of boots, but this I do not claim.

Having thus described my invent-ion,

Vthat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

1. The stili'ening-frame B, composed of the bars or plates a ab, when arranged on a gaiter-boot or shoe, as herein described, for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the plates e e with theframe B, having the bars a a b, all arranged as herein described, to be applied to a gaiter-boot or shoe, leaving the instep elastic, for the purpose specified.

EDMUNI) BROWN.

Witnesses:

FRANK BLoeKLEY, ALEX. F. Rosnsrs. 

